|The Red Raven|

Chapter Five

I spent the next few days training with Will and skimming footage from all over Bakos with Marco, trying to find just a glimpse of my sister. We never did, we sat in silence for hours just watching news stories about the king and queen, I learnt more about them in a week of news than I had in seventeen years in Direhill.
Q'ara had been right about the king's three children and according to the stories I had seen, Veyre was the oldest and quite beautiful with golden, almost yellow hair and gorgeous tan skin and she seemed to be known for her partying. Almost everyday there was a story about how Princess Veyre was seen on the arm of a different gentleman. But she was to be married to a wealthy duke whose name I couldn't remember, it was announced only earlier this week and I could've sworn I saw a flash of blonde hair in the picture but Marco told me it was my imagination. I wished it all was.
Then it was Liana, she was only twenty-two and there were hundreds of stories complaining about her common husband Zerin Blackburn. They married when she was only sixteen and the images of their wedding were marvellous but the better images were of their two children. A son, Maron, born just months after their wedding, sparking controversy at the mere validity of their marriage. Later there was a daughter Sina who was said to be as beautiful and if not more so than her mother, but there was no photographic proof. Each news story was read in such detail in the hopes of seeing Anya's name or even a picture where she was present, but all I did was learn more about the wretched royal family.
The youngest was Randar, just eleven months younger than his sister. He seemed the quietest, hidden in photos as if he would rather disappear than be prince of such a large kingdom. Like Veyre, he had the same golden curls and tan skin but his features were softer, like he could hide in plain sight. His bachelorhood was commonly discussed, many authors discussing the possible future princesses but the only image that drew my attention was the one where he stood with a woman. The woman had her back to the camera but her hair was almost white, my heart had moved a mile a minute and I willed for the woman to turn so I could see her face but she didn't. So I went to bed with a cold feeling in my stomach that night.
Training wasn't much better, Will was far better than I was and when Zina joined in I was struck down twice as fast. Nevertheless, I was improving with a sword and I could best Will in throwing but no one could beat Zina with a bow, she never missed a target and it was astounding. Will said it was almost instantaneous, she picked up a bow and could just strike the centre without blinking. I wasn't sure if I should believe him but her talent was undeniable.
Regardless, I spent so much of my time busy that I wasn't plagued by nightmares like I worried I would be. Perhaps it was the wonderfully soft bed that I was given, I'd never slept on a real bed before and could've only imagined how a real night sleep was. Most of the men slept in enormous fourteen bed dormitories, Will included but the lack of women meant that we were given the old general chambers. I'd seen the dormitories when Marco gave me a tour and they were worse than the tech factories, cramped and overly warm but I'm sure after a day of training, they wouldn't mind the conditions.
The general chambers weren't much better, they were to be shared by two, so there were two twin beds in each with a little white table between them. One tiny cabinet sat in the corner, sparsely occupied as well. I was left to bunk with a funny young woman called Daisy, her looks matched the sweetness of her name. She sported a short pixie haircut which suited her thin angular features, in contrast to her face, she was incredibly tall, taller than Cephenrene, and delicate. Daisy didn't train and fight like the others, she was to be Cephenrene's closest advisor when she takes the throne. So she spent her days in Cephenrene's chambers, making plans and discussing the future, it seemed most dull but I think she enjoyed it.
My mind was wandering when the sword shot from my hand and Will cursed, I clicked back into life and jumped to retrieve it. But the damage had been done, Will looked disappointed.
"Drea. Wake up" He grumbled, he was in an exceptionally bad mood that day despite having been overly kind since he believed he saved me during the stockroom raid. I picked up the sword and settled back into my stance but Will was no longer there, he had put his sword back on the rack.
"Are we done?" I asked, following him over to the wall of weapons as I had come accustomed to calling it.
"What's your full name?" Will followed up my question with another, I scowled at him for it.
"Drea Torianna" I replied, "You know that. What's yours?", I tried to be sarcastic but he was being far too annoying for that.
"I knew a girl at school called Andrea, we called her Andi." Will ignored me again, "You sure your name isn't Andrea? I think Andi suits you better than Drea"
"My name is Drea. What's the matter with you?" I responded, securing my sword in its place, Will had leaned himself against the wall, a look of curiousity plastered across his face.
"I just don't know anything about you and you don't look like a Drea" Will shrugged, "Before you tell me your name is Drea again, I know that but I prefer Andi. When did you leave school?"
"I prefer Drea and I was six, I left when my parents died. Why has this become a quiz? I'm hungry" I groaned, pulling out Volux and flipping it in my hand in a way I had begun to do when I was bored.
"So Andi," He started, I raised a hand but he continued before I could say anything, "Do you wish you stayed at school?"
"Of course, doesn't everyone wish to outwit their opponent?"
"Is that the only reason?" He smirked, "You're quite violent"
"I am not" I defended myself, "Where did you grow up, because in Direhill I was forced to hold my ground or be killed"
"Was Anya like that?" Will quizzed, pushing himself gently off the wall and walking closer.
"Don't talk about Anya to me" I insisted, "She's nothing like me. She's good"
"If she's in the capital with the king then she'll be fine" Will sighed, "You're a worrier, a violent worrier at that. You worry about your sister but while your talents are in fighting, don't you think it might be a talent of hers that she can keep quiet? That she won't shout at the king and get herself killed or imprisoned?"
"You don't know me and you don't know my sister" I told him, worrying the leather on the knife handle.
"No but I know me and I know Zina, I'm impulsive and can't control myself but she's sweet and gentle. She can shoot an arrow but she won't kill" Will reminded me, I scowled.
"Don't try and understand me Will, don't talk about my sister." I glared at him, "I'm going to find her then you will never see me again"
"Are you sure?" He raised his eyebrows, "Bakos is huge, Anya could be anywhere"
"Stop" I muttered, "Don't try and make me lose hope. She's out there. What good does making me lose hope do for you anyway?"
"People fight better for revenge than they do for hope" Will shrugged, I curled my hand into a fist.
"She's not dead, she's out there I swear and I will find her" I hissed.
"If you say so"
"Will stop it"
"Stop what? Andi, even if you do find her, she won't be the same knowing what the kings like"
"I swear. Stop talking" My knuckles burned and my nails dug into my skin.
"Why? You need motivation. Anya is gone"
"STOP IT" I shouted and threw my fist towards his face but he caught it easily and pulled me closer, our noses almost touching. I felt his breath grazing my face, all my anger melted away as I stared into his eyes. His lips stretched into a smile, he was pleased that I almost hit him.
"Now that is fury. That will win you a fight" Will explained, releasing my fist and stepping back. My head felt like it was full of cotton as I got my bearings, swallowing hard and frowning at the smirking idiot in front of me.
"You pissed me off so I would punch you?" I grumbled, putting my hands on my hips and scowling at him despite being entirely transfixed by the way the swear glistened on his forehead and his black hair was pushed back. I tried to ignore the muscles I could see flexing through his leather suit, it made me feel constantly uncomfortable with my own small skinny body.
"Yep. Let's go get lunch" He grinned, taking off towards the door and I followed him quickly.
"You're an idiot"
"I know"